Recipe Swap is turning 20!

Happy 20th Birthday, Recipe Swap! It was 20 years ago this week that I received a call from Joni Adams-Bliss from the Southeast Missourian asking me if I would be interested I writing a weekly recipe column. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought about writing a recipe column, especially with a new-born baby at home and a full time job.

It didn't take much to persuade me to give it a try and now, my goodness, 20 years later and 1,040 recipe columns later, here we are celebrating a 20th birthday of this column.

In thinking about this column, I did some looking back to 1998 and what foods were trending and popular at the time. Red Bull energy drink and fun fetti cake mix came out that year along with many other fun products, many have already gone by the wayside. But I wanted to find some recipes that were popular during this year and these recipes today are what the internet showed to be some of the most searched and used recipes from 1998.

Here's to many more years of recipe sharing with you, and until next time, happy cooking!

Best-Ever Crab Spread

• 12 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked clean of shells
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• Chives
• Celery sticks

Stir together 12 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked clean of shells; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/3 cup chopped scallions; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; and 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning. Top with fresh chives. Serve with celery sticks.

Grilled Zucchini-Wrapped Shrimp

Add a thin slice of pickled jalapeño to each appetizer for extra heat.

• 1 pound unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 large zucchini
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

Combine lime juice, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, and next 3 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, gently squeezing to blend; add shrimp. Seal and chill mixture 15 minutes.

Remove shrimp from marinade, reserving marinade.

Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat.

Cut zucchini lengthwise into thin slices with a vegetable peeler. Wrap each shrimp with a zucchini slice, and secure with a wooden pick. Brush rolls with remaining 5 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Grill rolls, without grill lid, over medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees) about 4 minutes.

Brush with reserved marinade; turn and brush again. Grill 2 more minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Serve hot or at room temperature on a cilantro-lined platter, if desired.

Southern Chicken and Rice Salad

This light Southern Chicken and Rice Salad is a satisfying dish that's perfect for easy summer dinners or a fancier lunch with the ladies. The marinated chicken, sweet fruit, crunchy almonds, and hearty brown rice, offer a variety of flavors and textures for the ultimate crowd-pleasing dish.

For the Chicken:

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (about 3 cups cooked and diced)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (or additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or sub with white or cider vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

For the Salad:

• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin orange slices, drained
• 1 cup halved red grapes
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Prepare the chicken at least 1 hour in advance (or overnight):

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and orange juice. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place chicken in a large zip-top bag. Pour marinade into the bag and gently toss to coat chicken. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet and allow the chicken to cook on one side, undisturbed, for at least 4-5 minutes. Flip, and cook the chicken for about 5 more minutes, or until it is nicely browned on both sides and cooked through. The chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, or when juices run clear. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest. Once chicken has cooled to the touch, diced into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare the salad:

Place diced chicken in a large bowl. Add pineapple, oranges, celery, and grapes. Fold in cooked rice. Add mayonnaise and sour cream; season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can stir in additional mayonnaise, as needed, to reach desired consistency.

Stir in almonds just before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes: For a shortcut, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. You can skip the marinating and cooking, and just use 3 cups of cooked, diced chicken!

For another shortcut, use microwaveable cups of Minute Rice.

Use light mayonnaise and non-fat plain Greek yogurt for purposes of nutritional information. Any type of mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or sour cream will work fine.

Cooking Just for Two? You can cut the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller salad for a smaller group. Cooking instructions remain the same.

Delta Red Beans and Rice

• 1 pound dried red beans
• 6 cups water
• 1-1/2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced
• 1/2 pound cooked ham, cubed
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• Hot cooked rice

Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans; soak 8 hours. Drain.

Bring beans, 6 cups water, sausage, and ham to a boil in a Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours.

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet until tender. Add to bean mixture. Stir in green onions and next 9 ingredients. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Bring bean mixture to a simmer; cover and cook, stirring often, 1 hour. Serve over rice.

Italian Sausage & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Flavor-packed sausage and sun-dried tomatoes are sure to liven up any simple pasta dish. I have a feeling that once you've tried it, it'll become a family favorite.

• 1 package (16 ounces) uncooked penne pasta
• 1-1/2 pounds ground mild Italian sausage
• 2/3 cup julienned soft sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach
• 3/4 cup shredded Romano cheese, divided
• 2/3 cup crushed seasoned salad croutons

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes, breaking into crumbles. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, fennel seed and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute longer.

Add wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is almost evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream; cook 1 minute longer. Add spinach; cook and stir just until spinach is wilted.

Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Sprinkle with crushed croutons and remaining cheese.

Homemade Fish Sticks

Moist inside and crunchy outside, these are great with oven fries or roasted veggies and low-fat homemade tartar sauce.

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 pound cod fillets, cut into 1-inch strips
• Butter-flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs and seasonings. Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. Dip fish in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in egg, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.

Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; spritz with butter-flavored cooking spray. Bake 10-12 minutes or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, turning once.

Country Fried Steak in Paradise

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• Pinch of ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound cubed sirloin steak
• 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk

Stir together 1/2 cup flour, cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, red pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.

Cut steak into 4 pieces, and dredge in flour mixture.

Heat bacon drippings in a large cast-iron skillet until hot. Add steak, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until browned, turning once. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes or until crisp, turning once. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet; transfer steak to a serving platter.

Heat reserved drippings in skillet; whisk in 2 tablespoons flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until browned. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve gravy with steak.

Sweet Jalapeno Cornbread

A surprisingly tasty blend of sweet cornbread and jalapeno peppers. If you love hot peppers and cornbread, then you must try this recipe.

• 2/3 cup margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1-2/3 cups milk
• 1 cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers, or to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Beat margarine and sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Stir eggs and milk in a third bowl. Pour 1/3 milk mixture and 1/3 flour mixture alternately into margarine mixture; whisk until just mixed. Repeat with remaining ingredients and stir in jalapeno peppers. Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

• 1 can (21 ounces) Comstock or Wilderness apple fruit filling, divided
• 1 (9- or 10-inch) graham cracker crust
• 2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup caramel topping
• 12 half pecans plus 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 3/4 cup apple filling. Spoon remaining filling into crust.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and beat well. Pour over apple filling. Bake 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool.

Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat, about 1 minute. Arrange apple slices around outside edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Decorate with pecan halves around edge. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 8-12 servings

Giant Kellogg's Raisin Bran Cookies

• 2 cups Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal crushed to 1-1/2 cups
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed firm
• 2 eggs

Stir together Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal, flours, and soda. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat margarine, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat well. Add flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. Drop by level 1/4 cup measure onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 F for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: 16 cookies. 1.6 grams of fiber each.

Crustless Cranberry Pie

Light, super simple, and delicious dessert. Great with vanilla ice cream.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9-inch pie pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the cranberries and the pecans, and toss to coat. Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract. If you are using frozen cranberries, the mixture will be very thick. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Black-Bottom Pie

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels

Gingersnap Crust

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Garnish: chocolate curls

Stir together 2 tablespoons water and rum in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over mixture. Stir mixture, and set aside.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan; gradually whisk in milk and egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved.

Stir together 1 cup custard mixture and morsels until smooth. Pour into Gingersnap Crust. Chill 30 minutes or until set. Set aside remaining custard mixture.

Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.

Fold 1 cup whipped cream into remaining custard mixture. Spoon over chocolate mixture. Chill pie and remaining whipped cream 2 hours or until pie is set. Spread remaining whipped cream over pie. Garnish, if desired.

Healthy Banana Cookies

These cookies are nutritious, as well as delicious.

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dates, oil, and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown.

Dump Cake

This recipe for dump cake is more like a cobbler type dessert than it is a cake. I serve it in a bowl with whipped cream, ice cream, or frozen whipped topping. It is quick to prepare and it is delicious.

• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup margarine, melted
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In the prepared dish, layer the cherry pie filling and the drained pineapple. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top, covering evenly. Pour the melted margarine over the cake mix, and sprinkle the top with the coconut and chopped walnuts.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until browned and bubbly.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.